Honor of the Fallen Swordsman
by Brother Mirtillo
Summary: Mai has lost her closest friends to the Orichalcos, and she knows she is responsible, but she also knows she has an opportunity to set things right. More than one heart will be discovered when she faces an enemy as implacable as herself.
1. Engage

_Well, since you ask, yes I do own this stuff, as surely as my name is Florence. I'd also like to sell you the Daedalus Bridge, and should you wish to contact Kazuki Takahashi and his colleagues on this matter, I've recorded his email address on the very tip of your elbow._

_Okay, enough of that. This is actually the first fanfic I wrote - "What Lies Within" didn't even get planned until months later, and "Finding the Road" came much further after that. At first, I figured this was too cringe-worthy to post, but you never know. I'm actually learning a fair bit about writing from stuff I hadn't thought was worth sharing. So here it is, thrown to the wolves in all its unvarnished quasi-glory. Buon' appetito!_

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><p>It was well past midnight, so even in a city of this size, it would be understandable for activity to be at a minimum. But the streets and sidewalks were entirely dark, save for a few street lamps, and barren of all human life. Despite the abundance of skyscrapers and parked cars, "ghost town" would have been a highly suitable phrase to come to the mind of anyone wandering the streets, and one could almost hear the silence.<p>

But gradually, a new sound echoed from the main street - a motorcycle bearing a single rider, traveling very quickly, despite the fact that she wore no helmet. The wind whipped her long blond hair back and blew across the skin revealed by her low-cut black top, sleeveless purple vest and matching shorts, yet she did not seem aware of the chill. The intense gaze of her long-lashed, violet eyes and her skillful maneuvering of her vehicle indicated that anyone obstructing her path tonight would sorely regret it.

Rounding a corner, the young woman's destination came into view: a building at least fifteen stories tall, larger and wider than any of its neighbors. She calmly stopped the bike at the curb, approached the main entrance and gazed up at a floor very near the top of the building, as if she was willing her target to appear at a window. Breaking her gaze away, she strode inside, her high heels echoing upon the lobby tiles. Here as before, there were no sounds, few lights and certainly no people to accompany her. She had expected this, and in fact she welcomed it, as it meant there would be nothing to interrupt her search.

As the solemnly-lit elevator carried her upwards, her thoughts turned to the dark bluish-green device clamped onto her left wrist; she was so accustomed to it that often she did not notice its presence unless she had a use for it. The device had a round shape with a semicircular extension on one side and a ring of strange letters engraved around the perimeter. Just above her hand, a deck of cards was clamped inside the device, and she withdrew this deck, searching within it until she found a particular card, which she removed and held as one would hold a beloved photo. Gazing at it, her eyes became gentler, and tears threatened to form until she blinked them away. Her expression set again, she replaced the card with its companions, shuffled the deck with practiced ease, and replaced the deck in the device.

The elevator bell announced her arrival, and glancing about as she exited, she made her way purposefully along the darkened hallway, her footsteps echoing gently. No one seemed to be around but, as the hall branched to the right, she could hear the heavier footsteps of someone taking no trouble to approach quietly or swiftly. She could make out the shape of a tall, cloaked man... but she was taken aback when she realized this was not the man she sought. This man stood a head taller than her, and his heavy, muscular body and dark clothing indicated he was not someone to provoke idly. Tight around his neck was a pendant featuring a green crystal that dimly reflected the hall's few lights, and his left arm bore a disk identical to the woman's. But she already knew these features; her eyes were focused on his, so steadily answering her glare. It seemed her arrival had been expected, and her true opponent had sent a receptionist. It was annoying but it was only a temporary obstacle.

"You are... well, I should have guessed Dartz would never come out to meet me. It doesn't matter. Stand aside, Raphael. I'll find him myself."

"I can't do that, Mai," the man replied. "Your anger has no place here, and you have no place confronting Dartz."

"No," she said, taking a step forward. "Doma has gone too far - I can't forgive you or Dartz for the things you've done. I'm here to get Jonouchi and Valon back, and you won't stop me."

For a moment, Raphael did not speak, but turned around and walked back the way he had come. "Dartz is not to be disturbed. He is attending to the Leviathan, ensuring that all the arriving souls are accepted." Opening a set of double doors, he looked back and added, "Of course, that includes Mr. Katsuya Jonouchi, though I suppose you already know the circumstances of his defeat. Dartz claims the capture of his soul is a great benefit to the Leviathan - but I have to admit I never saw anything especially strong about Jonouchi."

Mai's stunned anger lasted only briefly before she followed Raphael into the brightly-lit and expensively-decorated boardroom beyond the doors. "Listen, you lousy bastard - Jonouchi was twice the man you or Dartz could ever be. Not only that, how can you be so calm when Valon's soul is gone? You two might not have been friends but at least you could show some sympathy."

Raphael eyes were closed as if in resignation as he reached the opposite end of the boardroom's long table and replied. "I have no sympathy for those that cannot accept what Fate has in store for them. It was Valon's fate to fall, just as it was Amelda's fate."

"What? You mean Amelda's soul has been taken also?"

"Yes. He was sacrificed for losing his battle of revenge against Seto Kaiba - much as Valon was sacrificed for his grudge against your friend."

"First of all, Valon is also my friend. And second, it's disgusting how you don't even care about the people that are suffering at Doma's hands. At least Valon and Jonouchi understood each other. You're so blinded by Doma that you can't feel the pain they feel. You hid the truth from me. I... I didn't want to hurt Jonouchi. But I'm done with believing in your lies. I've found myself again, and I'll tear all of Doma apart if that's what it takes to get my friends back."

"Really... And how do you intend to challenge Dartz's power? His knowledge of Fate and the Orichalcos are beyond you. Do you think he's intimidated by your friendship? Or do your feelings run deeper than that?"

"It's none of your business, Raphael. Dartz is there. I no longer need Doma's strength or the Orichalcos' strength." She raised her fist and declared, "I want to defeat Dartz with my own strength and then rescue Jonouchi and Valon."

"Forget it, Mai. After all, you're just an item of sacrifice."

"What?"

"You're too glaring. You're of no more use. Be good and disappear." He extended his left arm forward, the disk on his arm humming to life. The wing on the side swung outwards and forwards, and a scimitar-shaped plate with five panels on top extended out from within it, glowing brightly. A window at the disk's center displayed the number 4000. Mai flexed her arm, activating her disk in a likewise fashion. Both players then drew five cards from the decks in their disks and stood facing each other as would opponents in a competition of martial arts.

"Duel!"


	2. Parry, Riposte

"I'll start," declared Mai, drawing a card from her deck. "I summon Cyber Harpie Lady in attack mode." Placing a card on her disk, a holographic counterpart appeared before her, and from this card was conjured a woman with long hair, wild-looking eyes, wings, and claws for feet and hands. Her body was encased in armor, resembling a metallic corset. "I end my turn."

Raphael drew a card of his own without a word. "I activate the spell card Guardian Treasure." Before him appeared a green card with a picture of a woman, eyes closed, showering magical energy upon a near-prostrate man. "By playing this card, every card in my hand goes to the graveyard, and I draw two cards from my deck." He did so, placing his original five cards into a slot at a right angle to his deck. "Also, I'm allowed to draw a second card during each Draw Phase." He glanced at the two cards and said, "Next, I play one monster in defense mode and one card face-down. Turn end."

"My move," said Mai. "I play the spell Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your face-down card."

The targeted card was enveloped in a tornado but before it could be ripped to shreds, Raphael replied, "I activate my trap in response - Pharaoh's Treasure!" The card turned over, showing a violet background with a picture of an Egyptian chest brimming with jewels. "Upon activation, this card is shuffled face-up into my Deck. When I draw it again, it goes to the graveyard, and another card in my graveyard is added to my hand."

"But in the meantime, you have more problems to deal with. I summon another Cyber Harpie in attack mode!" answered Mai, as a second bird-like woman appeared beside the first. "I also play the equip spell, Aero Nails!" One of the harpies gained a sharp, claw-like knife attached to the back of her wrist. "This spell raises my monster's attack power by 300. Now attack his monster!"

The creature flew at the card, swinging her new blade. The card gave a bright glow and produced a gray-skinned, red-haired ogre of a man who caught the harpie's wrist and sent her flying back the way she came. At the same time, Mai's score reduced itself to 3900.

"Nice try," said Raphael, "but you'll need more power than that to break through my Backup Gardna's 2200 defense points."

Mai's expression grew neither softer nor fiercer. "Turn end."

"My turn," said Raphael, drawing two more cards. "I set another card face-down and a monster in defense mode."

Mai was growing uneasy. _Why stay in defense? He must be planning some sort of strategy. I need to find a way through his protection before it's complete._ "My turn. Draw. Cyber Harpie, destroy his face-down monster!"

"That's not going to happen," replied Raphael. "I activate my trap card, Staunch Defender! This card allows me to select one of my monsters and redirect your attack to him. I choose my Backup Gardna."

"What? Him again!"

"But it's worse this time. My trap forces all of your monsters to attack my selected monster."

Both harpies screeched fiercely as they lunged for the kneeling warrior but he stood his ground and caught their attacks easily, throwing them aside and reducing Mai's score to 3400. "Turn end."

Raphael drew two cards, and he smiled when he saw their identities. "It's time to introduce you to my friends."

"Your friends?"

"First, I flip summon my face-down monster, Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu. This monster's flip effect lets me move an equip spell from my Deck to my hand, and I choose Butterfly Dagger, which I'll activate now!" A green dagger with a butterfly-shaped jewel appeared in Backup Gardna's hand. "This spell raises my monster's attack points by 300, and it also lets me summon a new monster. I play Guardian Elma in attack mode!"

A young woman with short red hair, flowing pants and a sleeveless shirt appeared with fists clenched, ready to fight. "By summoning her, her ability lets me equip a spell card from my graveyard to her. I choose Gravity Axe! Finally, I'll activate Backup Gardna's special ability, which lets me transfer any spell card equipped to him to another target on my side of the field. With Gravity Axe and Butterfly Dagger equipped to Elma, her attack strength increases from 1300 to 2100." In a blaze of light, Elma's two new weapons - the green dagger and the ancient yet deadly axe - sprang into her hands. "Now, Elma - attack her weaker harpie!"

With a combatant's yell, Elma sprang into the air, slicing the fearsome axe into her victim, who screeched once before shattering in a flash of white shards. The shock wave caused Mai to step backwards slightly, and again her score shrank, now at 3100. But she recovered herself in an instant, again the defiant warrior. _He may be ahead in life points but he also put Kotetsu into attack mode. It only has 500 attack points, so by destroying it, I can gain an advantage._

"You don't seem intimidated by Elma," said Raphael, intruding upon her thoughts. "Maybe you're already planning a counterattack?"

"Perhaps."

"Well, I won't let you do that. Fortunately, I still have one more equip spell left. I equip Backup Gardna with Raregold Armor!" The warrior's skin began to glow magically and became covered in a white and gold suit of armor, like that of a knight on horseback. "This spell card's power means that the only monster you can attack is the one equipped with this armor."

A look of incredulity began to appear on Mai's face. "That means all your other monsters are safe as long as Backup Gardna survives."

"I end my turn."

"But... how are you doing this? You've blocked every attack I've made. Your life points are your monsters are completely unharmed."

Raphael's face grew hard. "You couldn't understand the bond I share with my monsters."

"Why not?"

"Your heart isn't in your monsters. For you, they're nothing but a means to an end. Granted, they represent your fighting spirit remarkably well but you need more than anger to fight alongside them."

"And do you expect me to believe that you are an example of how I ought to duel? You still fight on Doma's side - how can I support that?"

"That's enough! Make your move."

"Fine." Mai added a card to the four in her hand but the addition did not lift her spirits. _Nothing I have can break through his defenses._ A terrible thought struck her. _Could Raphael be right? Do I treat my cards as tools for anger? No, that can't be true. This fight isn't for me; it's for Jonouchi and Valon. But I won't win unless I can get past Raphael._ Withdrawing one card from her hand, she decided, _I'll have to start over to find a new strategy._ "I play the spell card, Reload! This card lets me add all the cards in my hand back to my deck, shuffle and draw as many cards as I added." Examining her four new cards, her enthusiasm returned. "I play one card face-down, and I play Harpie Girl in defense mode." A petite blonde with pink wings and eagle-like claws appeared, scowling but not aggressive. "Turn end."

As Raphael drew his cards, every one of Mai's nerves was on edge. _His monsters and his spells are all very powerful. I need to see what he tries to play before I can use my Icarus Attack trap. It can destroy any two of the cards on his field but it will cost me my harpie, so I need to use it on the best cards he has._

"First, I'll switch Kotetsu to defense mode. Now Mai, it's time to see where your loyalties truly are. I activate the spell card, Exchange! This card lets us each take one card from our opponent's hand."

At these words, Mai was worried but she did not let it show as she and Raphael walked around the boardroom table towards each other. _I only have two cards, Upstart Goblin and Harpie Queen. I couldn't play my harpie because I couldn't use her for my trap card. If Raphael takes her, will I be able to attack her?_ Then she was in front of Raphael; resignedly, she held out her two cards.

He noticed her harpie right away, she was sure of it, and his condescending expression gave her the urge to pull her hand back. But she held her hand steady as he reached out his hand, saying, "I think this choice ought to make this duel interesting."

To her amazement, the card he drew from her grasp was Upstart Goblin. Smiling again, she replied, "What's the matter? Do you think you already have enough monsters?"

"Hardly. I'm not afraid of your harpies, and I'm not interested in using your strategies. I'd rather have a card from my deck than one from yours."

_Maybe - but that spell you took from me could very well help me more than it helps you._ Feeling once more in control of the situation, Mai replied, "It's your choice. Now I get to take one of your cards. You only have one, so it's an easy decision."

Now Raphael's knowing smile was more clear than ever. "We'll see about that." He handed her the card face down without another word and strode back to his post.

Mai also walked back, wondering what could make him so confident. She examined the card now alongside her harpie, and when she saw it, she froze in terror.

"No... it can't be... not this!"

Across the table, she could see Raphael, again the stern opposing force. His smile was gone, and in vain she tried to set herself at ease again. But in her hand, the Seal of Orichalcos seemed to mock her confidence. She dared not look at it, seemingly holding it from her in contempt, but in her mind, she could see the glow of that circle, with its hexagram, its ancient letters. How many times had she held that card proudly, willingly bearing its seal on her brow? Now it was in her hand again...

She wrenched her mind out of its daze and back to the duel; Raphael was saying something.

"I play the spell card, Upstart Goblin! This card lets me draw one card from my deck."

"But don't forget - it also gives the opponent 1000 extra life points. Since you played it, that means I get the bonus." _Now I have 4100 life points. I finally have the lead, and if only I can keep my mind clear, I can keep it that way!_

Raphael, drawing his card, was completely undisturbed by her renewed confidence. "My guardians and I will still stand together, regardless of how strong you seem to be. Guardian Elma, attack! Destroy her Harpie Girl!"

"I activate my trap card, Icarus Attack!" With a piercing cry, the monster flew straight up into the air, her feathers glowing with a fiery gold color. "I have to sacrifice a Winged Beast to use this trap. Once I do, I can choose two cards on your side of the field and destroy them, and I choose Guardian Elma and Backup Gardna! Plus, by destroying them, I'll destroy all the equip spells you added to them. Harpie Girl, counterattack!" The harpie gave a nightmare scream and hurtled down towards Elma at breakneck speed, her savage claws outstretched.

But Raphael cried, "NO!" and, to Mai's shock, leapt onto the table and pushed his monster out of the way. The burning creature smote him at his heart, and the explosion of energy made Mai shield her eyes from the glare. She could hear Raphael's pained groans, and then abruptly, he fell silent, and the flames began to clear.

Raphael was still standing, though he was breathing hard. Presently, even this ceased, and he gave a grim smile of satisfaction as he and his monsters returned to their places, looking none the worse for wear.

"But... what happened? How did you protect your monsters from my trap?"

"I can never forgive a threat to my guardians. By playing my quick-play spell, My Body as a Shield, I was able to take the hit for them."

"What?"

"It cost me 1500 life points but my monsters are still alive, and that's worth any price."

_A quick-play spell? Unthinkable - he drew that with Upstart Goblin, exactly in the turn he needed it!_

"I end my turn."

Mai was completely nonplussed now but she took a deep breath and drew. _My monsters can't defeat his guardians, not on their own. But whatever I do, I must not play the Seal of Orichalcos! I don't trust myself with that card; I don't know what I'll try to do if I play it. I have to hold out until I can find a different way past him._ "I play Harpie Queen in defense mode, and I play another card face-down. Turn end."

"I see. You don't have the courage to play the Seal again, so you want to try and win without it."

"It's not a matter of courage! You know I can't put my monsters under the spell of the Seal!" Tears formed at the corners of Mai's eyes but her voice held steady as she said, "I hurt Jonouchi when I played that card, and Valon saw my anger and tried to protect me from myself. They both suffered because of me. I can't make that mistake again."

Raphael drew two cards and replied, "You may not have a choice if you want to withstand this next attack. I summon Maha Vailo in attack mode!" A sorcerer in a flowing blue robe and wide hat appeared before him. "I also activate the equip spell card, Big Bang Shot! I'll add this to Maha Vailo, and I'll also use Backup Gardna's ability to transfer Raregold Armor as well." Now the magician was cloaked in the white armor, and the additional spell made her garments burn like a meteor falling through the sky. "Big Bang Shot gives my monster 400 attack points, and my monster's ability gives 500 attack points for each spell card equipped. That's a total of 2950 points!"

"What? All at once?"

"That's not all. My new spell's second power is that, when my monster attacks a creature in defense mode, the difference in our monsters' strengths is dealt as battle damage to you. But since I plan to destroy both of your monsters, I'll save your Harpie Queen for last. Maha Vailo, attack her Cyber Harpie!"

The sorcerer raised her hands to the sky, cupping them and forming a sphere, burning with all the fire and energy of her armor. Brighter it glowed, until it seemed to have grown from the heart of a volcano. Without a word, the creature held the sphere in one hand and, extending her arm at the harpie, launched her attack with a mighty explosion. The sound alone was awesome, and Raphael could not see across the room due to the glare. Yet from the distance he heard Mai cry out:

"Activate trap, Negate Attack!"

Moments from impact, the meteor was frozen in place and, with an unearthly noise, was swallowed up into nothingness, the shreds of its composition dispersing and sinking into void until no trace of it remained.

Raphael's concern faded into amusement. "So be it. You've endured for one turn but it makes no difference. My turn is done. You're back where you started, except now you need the Seal more than ever."

Mai yelled, "Be quiet! You won't make me play the Seal. I don't need the Seal to win!"

"You don't have any other way. If you're so bent on defeating me, you'll do whatever it takes to win."

She tried to shut the words out of her head. "No! I won't do it - not anymore! I won't let my anger hurt anyone again."

"Too late. Open your eyes. Your anger got you into this duel, and you're suffering the defeat because of it. Protest all you want but it won't change who you are."

"...who I am?"

Every word of Raphael's beat into her brain. "You thought that you could defeat me with determination. But that hard heart is the same as the one you had before you played the Seal. Even then, you thought you were unbeatable. You thought no one had the right to stand in your way. You were wrong then, and you're still wrong now. You can't win on your own strength, and there's no one with you to help you. Yet even though you're alone, you still try to hold yourself separate.

"Your pride won't save you. Your anger won't save you. You can't change the fact that you're alone, just as you were before you came to Doma. But at least when you knew us, you found victory. Before you cut yourself off, you had everything you needed. Don't hold yourself back. If you want to stand tall again, then grasp the power offered to you. Play the Seal and defeat me!"

"Play... the Seal..." Mai's eyes were once again drawn to the circle in her hand. She had nothing to lose by playing it. Her abilities would only become stronger if she called on its power. It would be so easy, so simple. Just lift her disk to meet the card, and she could activate the Seal. Already, her disk was poised in front of her, ready for her decision. But... she was afraid... the Seal would be a start but she would need more power than that to win. Yet she had done such things countless times in other duels with the Seal on her brow. With the Seal on her side of the field, a repeat performance would be child's play. Yes, it would be easy.

"It's my turn." Her right hand, already holding the Seal, prepared to draw an extra card. _Just one more turn - that's all I need to do this..._ She moved her hand nearer to draw; her fingers felt the edge of the deck... but something was... somehow her hand felt wrong... her arm was suddenly cold. She tried to draw and get it over with but now her entire side was numb, and she was trembling, her breath shallow. _What's happening? I can't... but I have to... why can't I...?_ Her head felt faint, and she wanted to collapse but her body refused even to do that. She was so afraid, and yet she could not tear her eyes away from her quaking hands. She was simultaneously drawn to her deck and repelled by it, the strain was electricity running from limb to limb, now she was on fire, now frozen stiff, until she was gasping for air. She had let go of her deck, and her hands were clutching her sides. Dimly, she was aware of a cold wetness at the side of her nose; looking down, she saw a single, miniscule tear fall from her face onto her chest. It fell just above her heart, and that seemed familiar to her... yes, it reminded her of a warm feeling of someone held to her-

"Noooo!" she sobbed, collapsing to her knees, crying completely, because she remembered perfectly the feeling of her friends, whom she had held in her hands, so close to that bitter heart. Valon, so still and weak that he might have died, whose last words had urged her to not be afraid, had forgiven his enemy, had urged that same ex-rival to protect her. Jonouchi, a shell of his former self, who had expended the last of his bodily strength to meet her through her rage, who never blamed her, but pushed her to safety as the Seal closed upon them both.

Mai wept with shame and sorrow, until she could no longer see clearly. Valon and Jonouchi had not cared at all for their own lives for sake of saving her from her demons, and here she was, ready to unleash that same evil from her soul again? To think that they ever valued her, when she could still feel their touch and kind words, shivered her soul to pieces.

But then, the tears began to fade, as a new realization began to form in her mind. She _could_ still feel the presence of her friends, and she could hear their kindness in her heart. The tears were gone, and she caught the memories and held them close until they filled her body with the clear knowledge of what to do.

Mai climbed to her feet, wiped her cheeks and gazed at the duel with new eyes. "I understand now. I know what to do."

Raphael, who had watched this entire transition with only mild perplexity, gave no response, though he found her remarks puzzling.

"I know what it is that you knew but I didn't."

"What do you mean?"

"You said I could never understand your connection to your guardians. I think I understand it now: it's the same feeling that Jonouchi and Valon had for me. In fact, they still have that feeling."

"Your friends are gone."

"But their love is still here. Loyalty like that is greater than death, and it's greater than magic. It's much greater than any duel. It was so important to them that they gave their souls for it, and now I know it's just as important to me. I've made my choice, Raphael. I'd rather lose my life than betray my friends!"

With a fresh voice, Mai declared, "My turn." She touched the top card and, closing her eyes, gave a silent wish: _Please, my friends, I will not treat your sacrifices as pointless. Let me respect your souls with all of my being. Please help me._ For an instant, it seemed as though her friends stood there with her, complete support written on their faces, their hands ready to draw with her. Perhaps she was imagining it... but still...

"Draw!"

Her eyes again open, she only needed to glance at the card before declaring, "I activate the spell card, Graceful Charity!" Somehow, Raphael maintained his poker face as she continued, "Now I can draw an extra three cards from my deck - one for each of my friends, as well as one for me."

Again she closed her eyes, and this time, her heart was warm with the knowledge that her friends were still there. She drew three cards, holding them in the air for several long moments before she opened her eyes and thought, _Thank you_.

Now she was smiling again, and it was not the smile of a predator but of a respect duelist. "My spell card has another effect, which lets me discard two cards, and the first card to go-" she drew from amongst her prized cards "-is the Seal of Orichalcos!" Rearing back, she threw the card so it soared like an arrow into Raphael's hand. "There's no room for trash like that in my hands anymore, so it's only fitting that it be thrown away. Now that that's done, I still have to discard one more card." She did so, then declared, "I switch Harpie Queen into attack mode, and I'll also summon Harpie Lady 1 in attack mode!" The winged creature with the teal hair reared up for attack and was joined by a pink-haired creature much like the Cyber Harpie but free of metallic garments. "This new harpie's special ability gives 300 attack points to all wind-element monsters, so all my harpies get stronger!" As she said this, the attack strength of Cyber Harpie, Harpie Queen and Harpie Lady 1 rose to 2400, 2200 and 1600.

"Not bad, but Maha Vailo has far more power than any of your monsters."

"I'm not finished yet. With one more spell card, I can defeat your monster and bring down your defenses."

"What?"

"I play Monster Reborn, and I'll use it to bring back the monster I discarded: Harpie's Pet Dragon!"

A dazzling column of light sprang up from the floor, and from it appeared a shadowy creature, massive in size. The light cleared, revealing a crimson dragon with dark eyes, a blackened head, and fierce claws and teeth. Around its neck was a collar and chain. Harpie Queen picked up the latter as the dragon roared at Raphael, who was now wide-eyed, not with fright so much as wonder.

"Raphael - my dragon gains 300 attack points for each of the three Harpie Ladies on my side of the field, plus 300 more from the ability of Harpie Lady 1, for a total of 3200! Now, Harpie's Pet Dragon, attack Maha Vailo!" Opening its ferocious jaws wide, the dragon inhaled, formed a ball of fire to match the one that had threatened the harpies and, with a fearsome blast, launched it at the sorcerer, incinerating the opponent completely and reducing Raphael's score to 2250. The spell's secondary effect kicked in, causing the defeated monster's remains to vanish in a magical cloud, deleting Maha Vailo from the duel.

"I'm not done yet! Luckily for you, my harpie's ability boosts the power of all wind monsters, including yours, so Elma's attack strength is still equal to my Cyber Harpie's. But with Raregold Armor gone, I can choose any of your monsters to attack. Cyber Harpie, destroy his Backup Gardna! Harpie Queen, destroy Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu!" Finally free to attack, the two harpies lunged for the kneeling warriors, each dispatching them with one swipe of her claw. "Turn end."

Now Raphael was very shaken. "My monsters... you destroyed them. No, it wasn't supposed to be like this!" He glared at Mai, gnashing his teeth in fury. "I can't forgive you for what you've done. My turn. Draw!"

Mai watched carefully as Raphael, still seething, drew his cards. Something was wrong: where there should have been the monotonous backside of the cards, Mai saw a flash of color - violet and gold. "Oh no!" she exclaimed.

"Yes," said Raphael, holding up the card that had been second from the top of his deck. "I've drawn Pharaoh's Treasure again. Now it goes to the graveyard, and I can save one card that's been destroyed."

"Are you bringing back Backup Gardna?"

For a moment, Raphael did not respond. Then, as if the words were being violently torn from him, he answered, "No... and I'm not saving Kotetsu either."

"What? But you love your monsters. Why wouldn't you want them back?"

"I do want them back. But," he said in a resigned voice, "nothing can help them now. Even if I save them, I'd just lose them again. Instead, I have to make the move that will make sure I won't lose any more of my monsters. I'll do whatever it takes to keep the rest of them safe, even if it means cutting my losses."

"You don't mean-"

Discarding his trap and drawing from the graveyard, Raphael declared, "The card I retrieve is the Seal of Orichalcos!"

"No, Raphael! Don't do this! If you play that-"

"I don't care anymore!" he said, holding the card in his hand. "I pledged myself to my monsters, and also to Dartz. I can't let my fears stop me anymore. If I have to embrace the darkness within myself to stop you, then so be it."

Her eyes were fearful, his were ice-cold as a panel opened on the side of his disk. Without another word, Raphael decisively placed the Seal in the proffered space.

All at once, there was a blaze of green energy as the letters on Raphael's disk sprang to life, and a circle identical to that on the card appeared around his feet. For a prolonged moment, the circle was motionless, and then it grew larger until it had engulfed the field and both players within its double border. Lines crossed and crisscrossed the circle's span, marking the floor - for the table had vanished - with the ancient hexagram. Mai, nervously taking in her surroundings, returned her attention to Raphael, who was hunched over with his hands clutching his temples and a shadowy aura around him. But as he straightened and relaxed, a similar seal glowed on his forehead and his eyes emanated a bestial shade of red. With some will, she tried to calm herself; she knew that the true duel had just begun.


	3. Prise du fer

"You see, Mai? A true duelist is not afraid to do what is necessary to fulfill his duty. By facing my darkness and accepting it, I have surpassed my fears. I am stronger than I could ever have been on my own, and my monsters share that strength!" Even as he spoke, the emblem of the Orichalcos appeared on Elma's brow, her eyes gave off the same unnerving red glow and her expression became fiercer than before.

"But this is only the beginning of my new strength. I call upon the magic of Gravity Axe to summon my next monster, Guardian Grarl!" Playing the last card in his hand, a great reptilian creature appeared, standing on its hind legs, at least a head taller than Raphael himself. No sooner had he appeared than the seal appeared on his forehead also, and he gave a dangerous growl, clenching his fists. "Combined with the magic of the Orichalcos, Elma's attack power rises to 2900, and Grarl's attack power is 3000."

"No!"

"My monsters and I can overcome any threat! Now, Guardian Elma - attack her Harpie Lady 1!"

The fairy, now bereft of any elegance, lunged for the winged creature, swinging her axe savagely across the harpie's center and knocking her victim to the ground before the harpie had time to scream.

"With one harpie destroyed, her special ability is gone, and your dragon's ability weakens, leaving it with only 2600 attack points. Guardian Grarl, attack her dragon!"

Both beasts roared with all their might but Grarl slipped easily beneath the dragon's jaws and drove his fist into the fleshy neck of his foe. The dragon gave a noise akin to a howl and a cry; in an instant, its spirit was wiped out.

Mai had partially shielded herself from the impact, visibly shaken by the attack's force. Her life points had reduced by nearly half, leaving her with only 2400 points. More than that, the sheer abruptness of Raphael's coup had taken her severely by surprise.

Raphael smiled to see her mounting concern. "Do you understand now, Mai? You can't defeat me. First you put your faith in yourself, and now you put your faith in friends who can't support you. But I see things as they truly are. Fate brought me to this moment, and I will not shrink from my duty."

"But this isn't your duty, Raphael! You don't have to use Doma's magic - if you do, you're letting your anger control you! You can support your monsters without it."

"No, I can't. This is the only way to unlock the potential I need so I will be able to enforce what must be done. My anger is of no concern to me; what is important is that I cannot let you persist in your efforts to stop Dartz."

Mai stood much straighter as she replied, "Then your judgment is faltering, because I will persist no matter what you do. My friends need me - I can't let them down."

Raphael laughed to himself, "You don't have a choice in the matter. I end my turn. Go on and show me how well you can withstand Doma's force."

Mai took a deep breath, holding her disk to her heart as she considered just how heavy of a task had fallen to her. _So, this is how it is from the other side of the Seal. My friends were right when they said I ought not to risk playing the Seal... but then I didn't know what I was doing. This time, for this duel, I knew the stakes when I began, and I still know them. I just hoped it wouldn't come to this._

Her spirit renewed, she declared, "My turn." Willing her heart to be open to the companions who had spared nothing for her, she closed her eyes one last time, surrendered all her fears and drew...

...and before she opened her eyes, she knew she had what she needed.

Raising the beloved card high above her, she declared, "For Valon and Jonouchi! I call upon the Claw of Hermos!"

"What?"

From the card burst a light so pure that it nearly blinded Raphael, yet he could not tear his eyes from the creature that appeared. It was a dragon, of a bold crimson hue, with a horn as sharp as a sword and claws to match. Hermos was no elegant, slender-necked dragon but one with a compact build, great stature and a hide so tough it could repel magma as easily as a thrown pebble. Its golden-yellow eyes burned with all the energy of one who has fought wars for millennia with no loss of vigor, and his roar struck fear into Raphael's heart for a brief moment before it was replaced with sheer indignation.

"Hermos fights for you? This cannot be! Even the nameless Pharaoh was deserted by Timaeus, and yet Hermos stands by you when you destroyed him and his master!"

"Hermos stands by me because he never blamed me for my failures, for his heart is the same as Jonouchi's. Now I have learned to respect my friends' sacrifice, and now I live and duel for them! Hermos, be my companion! Fuse with Cyber Harpie to bring forth a new power!"

As one, the two allies took flight, spiraling side by side straight up into the heavens until they met. There was one more burst of energy, and presently, Raphael saw that neither entity remained; rather, a familiar and yet wholly new object had appeared.

It was a suit of armor, including a breastplate not unlike that of the Cyber Harpie, and also complete with a helmet, leg guards, a gauntlet with a set of claws extending from the back of the knuckles, and a shield large enough to cover the entire left arm, marked with the kanji for wind. It shone like new, and it was of a metal more durable and impenetrable than any forged by man, yet it was light enough that it would weigh as nothing upon the bearer.

Mai extended her hand, calling her remaining cards: "Cyber Wing Armor, equip to Harpie Queen!" Immediately, the armor became flowing light that surrounded the final harpie. Around her torso, the energy surrounded her and conjured the gleaming breastplate. Then her legs, then one arm, then the other, as well as her head were awash in the energy before revealing the weapon that was now a part of her. With a triumphant cry, Harpie Queen declared to Raphael and all of her opponents without using words that she was more than ready to face them.

"So," said Raphael, again his scowling self, "this is the monster upon which you stake your life?"

"Yes," answered Mai. "That armor represents both of my friends. It carries Valon's courage and strength, and it carries Jonouchi's determination and faith. My harpie is supported by both of them," and, in the tender part of her heart, she added, _just as I am_.

"Very touching, I'm sure, but you need more than a few virtues to win a duel. You need cards powerful enough to destroy any obstacles."

"Then it's time for me to show you this armor's other powers. But first - when I transformed Cyber Harpie into a spell card, the equip card she was holding was destroyed. This activates the other ability of Aero Nails: whenever it's destroyed, I can equip it to another Harpie Lady on the field, so now I can add it to my Harpie Queen!" From the back of the clawed gauntlet appeared an additional blade, adding to the already-formidable arsenal. "This gives my monster 300 extra attack points. Also, the power of Cyber Wing Armor gives her an additional 800 points, bringing her all the way to 3000 attack points!"

"What?"

"Harpie Queen, attack Guardian Elma!"

Soaring from the ground, the harpie dove so quickly that by the time Raphael saw her again, she was already swinging her new claws at his fairy. Elma raised both weapons in defense but the blades sliced through the axe, the dagger, and her at virtually the same moment. As his monster vanished, Raphael's score fell to 1850.

"I'm sorry to destroy your monster, Raphael, but I had to attack. I know you only want to protect your monsters, and I really respect that."

"Don't bother apologizing. Your attack is no sorrow for me."

"What? But your monster was destroyed!"

"True, but by destroying Elma, you also destroyed her dagger, which activated its special ability. Whenever Butterfly Dagger is destroyed and goes to the Graveyard, I can add it to my hand."

Mai was rather disturbed by this turn of events; Raphael's strategy was unexpected, and his callous response even more so. "Turn end."

Silently, Raphael drew his cards, barely looking at them before transferring them to his left hand and taking up the card he had picked from the discard pile only seconds before. "Even with that dragon, you cannot oppose Fate. Once I eliminate your monster, your soul will soon follow. I activate Butterfly Dagger, and I equip it to Guardian Grarl, raising his power to 3300." The emerald dagger appeared in Grarl's hand, small yet deadly, and Grarl held it expertly, waiting eagerly for his master's command. "Guardian Grarl, destroy her harpie!"

With a growl like that of a hunting wolf, Grarl leapt at his prey in great bounds, swinging the dagger back to slice through her gleaming hide and end her life. With all his strength, his arm lashed out, the blade gleamed sharply, and before it connected, Mai called out, "Harpie Queen, activate Cyber Wing Barrier!"

The winged fighter spun swiftly, raising her shield to meet the attack - but the two weapons were never meant to collide. The kanji glowed a shade of blue like that of a clear sky, and from this emblem, a cyclone sprang, howling with awesome gusts that formed a spiraling hemisphere before the harpie. Grarl's attack did not even penetrate the field halfway before his weapon arm froze as though it were secured with a great chain. With his weapon quaking violently, he tried to force his way through before, with a final roar of frustration, he was blown off of his feet and back to his starting point.

Raphael was thunderstruck. "What have you done? Is this the true power of your dragon?"

"Yes, and it draws upon the connection between my friends and myself in a way that is more than symbolic. In addition to raising the attack strength of my harpie, Cyber Wing Armor forbids you from attacking with any monster whose attack strength is less than the total of Harpie Queen's attack points and my life points!"

"No! How can this be? Since you have 2400 life points left, no monster with less than 5400 attack points can reach your field!"

"This is the union between me and my monsters. I recall how you said that I only treated my monsters as tools for victory; it was true then but it is no longer the case. With this armor, I fight together with my monster, and you will have to overcome both of us in order to defeat us."

With bad grace, Raphael turned back to the cards in his hand. "I play the spell card, Feather of the Phoenix! By discarding one card in my hand, I can take another card from my graveyard and place it on top of my deck. End turn."

"My turn. Draw." Mai was feeling more confident but she was still wary. _I can't attack Raphael - at least, not yet. For now, my monster is safe but I have no doubt he'll think of a new way to attack me, so I have to be ready._ "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

"My turn." As he drew, Mai wondered what card he had chosen to bring back on his previous turn, as well as whether her defenses could withstand it. But when Raphael smiled upon observing what had been the second card from the top, she braced herself for the worst. "I activate the equip spell, Rod of Silence," said Raphael, holding up a card depicting a staff that seemed to be carved of coral, frozen in a crystal. "This card raises the defense points of the equipped monster by 500 points."

"But that doesn't make sense; defense points won't help you defeat my harpie, and you know it. That can only mean that your card has another power!"

"Correct. My spell also defends against magic by destroying any spell that targets the monster holding this rod."

"What?"

"That means I can use this card as a destructive weapon by equipping Rod of Silence not to my monster but to yours. Once your harpie is equipped with my card, all of her armor will be destroyed!"

Playing his card, a blue aura of light formed around Raphael's disk, which shot a beam straight at Harpie Queen. But before the spell could connect, Mai responded, "I activate my counter trap, Riryoku Field!" The harpie was instantly shrouded in a white energy cloud, and the blue beam was dispelled easily upon contact with the cloud. "I have my own way of destroying unwanted spells. This trap negates and destroys any spell that targets a monster on the field, so my harpie's armor remains intact while your Rod of Silence is destroyed."

"Not for long. Again, I use the power of Butterfly Dagger to summon Guardian Elma in attack mode, and I'll use the power of the Seal to place her on the second line of battle." The red-haired fairy returned to the field, this time in the row behind Guardian Grarl. "With her ability, I can equip a spell in my graveyard to her, and I choose Rod of Silence." From the ground grew a crystal that broke open, revealing the rod within it, which Elma plucked and held like a scepter. "Turn end."

"I draw." The card was a very welcome sight to Mai, and it she played it immediately. "I summon Bladefly in attack mode!" On her field appeared a great blood-red insect the size of a small child and with a curved, sharp stinger at its base. "This monster will let me break your protection in one turn. Its special ability raises the attack power of all wind monsters by 500 and lowers the attack power of all earth monsters by 400. That means my monsters get stronger while your Guardian Grarl gets weaker!"

"This can't be!"

"Harpie Queen, attack Guardian Grarl!" Flying even higher than before, the creature struck Grarl straight in the heart, destroying him in an instant and lowering Raphael's score to 1250.

Raphael was furious, and the anger was evident as he spat, "Destroying my Butterfly Dagger returns it to my hand."

"Turn end."

The scrape of paper was audible as Raphael roughly pulled his next two cards. "I will not be dominated by you! I activate the spell card, Swords of Revealing Light!" From out of the card flew crosses of light, forming a cage around both of Mai's creatures. "This card will restrain your obnoxious monsters for the next three turns. I guarantee you that, before they are free, they will oppose me no longer. I also play a card face-down. Turn end."

"My turn again," said Mai as she drew. "Even with your swords in play, my monsters and I will not stop fighting you, and this card gives us the way! I play Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation!" Harpie Queen screeched to the sky as a stream that was somewhere between wind and fire enveloped her, forming itself into the shape of a great bird, the ancient phoenix. "Since I control one harpie, this card destroys one monster on your side of the field and then inflicts damage to you equal to its attack points. Harpie Queen, destroy Guardian Elma!" The magical creature swooped down to wipe out the enemy.

Raphael called out, "I activate Solemn Judgment! By paying half my life points, your spell card is rendered worthless!" As his score shrank to 625, the magical winds dissipated, and the exposed harpie slowed to a halt. Again frozen by the luminous swords, she floated back to her place without moving so much as a feather.

"Turn end."

"I draw. I play one more card face-down and use the Rod of Silence to summon Guardian Kay'Est!" On his field appeared a mermaid with flowing blue-green hair, a great scaled tail, and a form-fitting yellow tunic with bare arms. Only the seal on her forehead and the glare in her eyes contradicted her poise. "Turn end."

"My turn. Draw. I play the spell card Pigeonholing Books of Spell. This card lets me look at the top three cards of my deck and return them in any order I want." Scarcely knowing what to hope for, Mai picked up her cards. The middle one immediately drew her attention. It was one of her favorites: Harpie's Feather Duster. _By drawing this next turn, I should be able to destroy his Swords of Revealing Light, as well as any other defenses he builds on his next turn._ The other two cards, both of lesser interest, were placed below the spell. "I end my turn."

"Draw." Raphael picked up two more cards but the sight of them did not help his mood. "I see. It comes to this in the end." Looking straight at Mai, he continued, "Diverting your energy is no longer enough. It is clear that your sense of duty to your friends will not be satisfied until you have nothing left with which to fight."

Not rising to the bait, Mai remained silent.

"But this persistence is still misguided. For all your words and all your efforts to make your monsters more than they are, you are not one who is capable of saving your friends."

For a moment, Mai's breath caught, and then she shot back, "That's not true! It's because I believe in my friends that I can proceed."

"That may be true - but tell me, do you believe in yourself?"

"What?" This was a doubt that for some time had not been in her thoughts but now presented itself again. "Of course I do. Even you said I was determined to win on my own strength."

"That's not what I meant. Relying on your own strength is not the same as having strength."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Think about it, Mai. You say the thought of your friends can keep you going, regardless of how badly you're hurt, but your grip on this duel is fragile, and you must have already realized it. Your strength is based on one monster. If I defeat it, you will fall, and all your efforts will be for nothing."

"That doesn't matter because you won't defeat my harpie!"

"But do you _know_ that?"

Now Mai was hesitating, and Raphael easily filled the silence.

"How do you know that I don't already hold the key to breaking your defense? How do you know?"

"I... I..."

"The answer is you don't know. That is why you can't stop me."

Calling forth her last reserves of courage, Mai yelled, "If you have the key to defeat me, why don't you go ahead and play it?"

"I will, and you'll regret ever opposing Doma! I activate my face-down trap, Reckless Greed! This card lets me draw two cards. After using it, I skip my next two Draw Phases."

"But... why would you take that risk? In your next two turns, you could have drawn four cards, and you're giving up that chance just to get two cards. How do you know you'll get what you need?"

In a voice that was stone-cold with its contempt, he answered, "I _know_."

As he raised his hand to his deck, Mai realized she was breathing in shallow gasps. She clenched her fists and tried to clear her head. _If I can only survive this turn, I can turn this duel around with my next card. Just one more turn, that's all I need. Just one turn..._ Raising her eyes again to Raphael, she held her breath as, with what seemed agonizing slowness, he tensed his fingers, drew once, drew twice, and lifted the cards from the deck. He raised them to his eyes, studied them with no change in expression, and then his eyes moved ever so slightly to look into her own.

And the look in his eyes was not one of satisfaction; it was of such complete absence of emotion that it froze Mai to her very core.

"I activate the spell card, Soul Charge. By paying 500 life points, I can revive one monster from my graveyard, and this monster cannot attack this turn. Backup Gardna, return to me!" In a flash, the gray warrior was standing before his master but Mai had no time to assimilate the sight before Raphael drew the next card from his hand. "I activate the spell card, Soul Release. This allows me to remove from play up to five cards from either player's graveyard." As he spoke, both graveyards glowed with a gray light, and ghostly copies of their cards appeared above and around them. "I remove Riryoku Field, Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation and Pigeonholing Books of Spell from your graveyard, and I remove Guardian Grarl and Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu from mine!" With every name called, the images seemed to burn from the inside out, fading to vapor with a shrill hiss.

_This isn't making any sense! _thought Mai, panic lurking at the edges of her mind. _I wasn't planning on using those cards again. What am I supposed to do?_

"And now," said Raphael, in a voice so sharp yet solemn that she could not help but listen, "is the coming of the creature that will deliver your judgment. I play the equip spell, Celestial Sword!" From the sky fell a sword, slender and sharp, shining brightly, landing half-buried in the ground near Backup Gardna, who seemed afraid to touch it.

"This card permits the summoning of a monster whose power cannot be contained. And with my graveyard empty of monsters, no sacrifice is required!" He played the card, and for a moment, there was nothing. Suddenly, from above, the shadow broke before a great beam of light that was almost unbearable to look at.

All too soon, Mai beheld the figure that descended from above. It was a human, dressed in a leather tunic with bare arms, her legs covered by a woven tribal cloth, moccasins on her feet. From her shoulders extended broad, white wings, and she wore a headdress shaped as an eagle. Her eyes were closed, her arms at her sides as if in acquiescence, and as she landed, all at once her eyes opened, glowed with the power of the Seal and transfixed Mai with a stare so terrible she could not look away.

"This," declared Raphael, "is the most powerful of all my monsters. Guardian Eatos, accept the ancient sword and gather your might for the final attack!"

Almost lazily, Eatos drew the sword, rose into the air and brandished the sword like a sorcerer's staff at Mai. Instinctively, she raised her left arm to shield herself but presently she became aware of a force tugging at that same arm, as if it were a puppet on a string. Frantically, she tried to pull back but her disk was finally raised to the sky - and, she realized, to Eatos.

"Behold Eatos' power! When summoned, she absorbs the souls of all monsters that lie exposed at the top of your graveyard, adding their power to her own!"

"My monsters? No, not them!" Again and again, she tried to get away but she could not stop the two cards flying from her disk. The cards glowed briefly before growing into the ghosts of Harpie's Pet Dragon and Harpie Lady 1, already dissolving into the flow of energy now streaming towards Eatos's sword. With a helpless look, Mai saw her monsters vanish into the shining blade. Her arm was released, and she fell to the ground. There, she became aware of a new sound, the sound of wind as it mounts against an obstacle to circle back on itself. Climbing to her feet again, she could now see the cyclone gathering in the center of the field. "What's happening now?"

"Have you already forgotten? The magic of your Bladefly is affecting the entire field, adding power to all wind monsters. It's too bad for you that Eatos is a wind-attribute monster. In addition, the Seal of Orichalcos is passing strength to Eatos, and the two monsters in her sword add 3300 more points. Combined, my monster's power rises to a total of 6800 attack points!"

"6800? But... that means-"

"Your barrier has fallen. There is nothing protecting you anymore."

But Mai was only barely aware of his words. Eatos held the sky before her, her sword glowing as if afire, her wings becoming shrouded in shadow from the mark on her forehead. Her armored harpie still stood with claws flexed but, trapped as she was, she too could only stare at her opponent, a statue of her former defiance.

She had failed... over and over, her mind wept its failure. After all her promises, all her professed loyalty, she had not been strong enough. Jonouchi and Valon were still lost, and no one would ever mourn for her. She had failed...

"This is the end, Mai. May your soul be accepted by the great Leviathan. Guardian Eatos, destroy Harpie Queen!"

Eatos raised her sword skyward and, with her whole body, swung the blade downwards at Harpie Queen. The trail was a solid stream of light that hid Eatos from Mai's view. The last thing Mai saw was her harpie crying in pain, with what seemed to be tears falling from her eyes. The last thing Mai heard was the great crash of her monster being obliterated.

The sound stretched until it had numbed all her other senses, until gradually, it grew faint in her ears, and the room began to fade back into view. But without warning, the seal around her gave a sinister hiss and contracted until it became a cage, leaving her no room to move in any direction. Streams of magic began to rise from the border, completely obscuring her view; it was no help to pull back in fear, as there was nowhere she could turn. With a shriek of fear, she felt as if an unseen hand were grasping her from within and pulling her away. Slowly, her very self was sliding into nothingness, and because she could do nothing else, and had been able to do nothing else, she whispered, "Sorry..."

The green cage faded, and she began to collapse. With her last breath before she fell to the ground, she whispered, "Sorry...Jounouchi..."

The seal had disappeared from the room, leaving it much as before. The only signs of change, Raphael noted dispassionately, were the single feather drifting down from where Eatos had just been and the still form of Mai lying on the floor. Walking around the table, he watched the feather land on the card held in Mai's right hand. Guessing that she must have clutched the card, probably without realizing it, in seek of support in her last moments, he stooped to remove the feather and was not especially surprised to see that the card beneath was Hermos.

Like its companions, this card had given him - no, all of Doma - so much difficulty, and yet he could not bring himself to hate it. There was something about the loyalty between this dragon and its late bearers that, with a pang, he realized was almost reminiscent of the bond between him and his guardians. Both bonds emerged in times of trial, both were capable of great strength - and both, he thought with a chill, had fallen under great stress lately, culminating in the destruction of those whose protectors had failed them. He shook himself from his reverie; it was not compassion he felt, merely pity that those other loyalties should have grown between people who could not understand things the way he could.

He gathered up Mai from the floor, carrying her back the way she had come, knowing what would happen soon. She was only the first to come in search of Doma; the pharaoh would arrive soon, and he may as well know what befell her. Leaving her propped up in the elevator, he was about to send her to the ground floor when he hesitated. The pharaoh would feel compassion for her and might even want to avenge her. A similar bond had driven her to seek a duel with himself, fueling her spirit and connecting her to Hermos. Looking at the card again, he realized how fitting it was that this bond should continue, that Hermos should pass from her hands to the pharaoh's, just as the card had passed to her from Jonouchi. Yes, it was right, and it was also right that he would prove his loyalty to Dartz by defeating the dragons in a true duel, not by stealing them from fallen victims. Slipping the card into an inner pocket, he decided he would deliver Hermos to the pharaoh personally. Pressing the elevator button on his way out, he strode to the stairs, knowing he would be ready once his nemesis arrived.

With hardly a sound, the doors slid shut, and the dismal elevator and its passenger were shut away, descending to await he who was already entering the darkened building and approaching what would be perhaps the greatest battle of his life.


End file.
